-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- This week , Giyen Kim , 34 , reached a personal milestone : She has lost 10 pounds since the beginning of the year .

Giyen Kim , 34 , has lost 10 pounds since January 1 . She said she feels like it will be easier to lose more weight .

This progress feels slow , she said , in comparison with her previous weight loss attempts , which consisted of crash dieting . But she found that those diets were n't sustainable . This time , she 's looking to find a lifestyle she can keep .

CNN asked viewers to talk about their New Year 's resolutions on iReport.com and upload photos and videos during their journeys of change . Kim , who lives in Seattle , Washington , is one participant who frequently updates the iReport community with video updates on her progress . iReport.com : Watch Giyen talk about losing weight

Reaching this 10-pound milestone , from 190 to 180 pounds , makes her feel as if it will be easier to lose more weight , she said .

`` You feel definitely more motivated when you actually quantify it in a number that feels good , '' she said . Visit CNNhealth , your connection for better living

She does n't feel physically different , but she does notice a change from previous pictures of herself , she said . Her original goal for the year was to get closer to her pre-pregnancy weight of 120 pounds .

Kim has had a hard time exercising recently because her uncle , 90 , passed away , and the grieving process has been difficult . But she plans to resume working out soon and wants to take classes at her gym . She also eats one vegan meal every day .

Kim felt frustrated earlier this month because her progress felt slow , losing a pound a week . Read about her weight loss journey

Often , the initial weight loss will seem the easiest , and then the loss slows somewhat over time , said Tara Gidus , dietician for the Orlando Magic NBA team and owner of Tara Gidus Nutrition Consulting in Orlando , Florida .

Exercise is key in speeding things up when you 've reached a plateau , she said . It 's important to find a physical activity that you enjoy doing and to vary the exercise routine -- for example , raising the incline on a treadmill to step up the intensity , she said .

Gidus usually recommends losing about 2 pounds a week , or about 5 to 8 pounds a month . At that rate , someone like Kim could lose 50 pounds in six months , she said .

A pace faster than that -- such as 10 pounds per month -- would be hard to keep up , Gidus said .

People with on weight-loss journeys should have encouragement from friends , family or people in support groups or online communities , she said .

Kim certainly has people supporting her in the virtual world : A video she posted a few weeks ago after she 'd lost 4 pounds had more than a dozen motivational comments from others on iReport.com . Watch her video

Her next goal is to lose 15 more pounds -- for a total of 25 -- by her birthday , March 24 , and reward herself with a digital single-lens reflex camera , which professional photographers use .

`` That 's basically 2 pounds a week , plus 3 more , '' she said . `` It 's ambitious , but I really want that camera . ''

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Giyen Kim , 34 , has lost 10 pounds since January 1

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Reaching this milestone makes losing more weight look easier , she said

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Dietitian : Often , speed of weight loss slows down over time

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Share your journey to change with iReport.com